Northwestern Mutual has helped clients achieve financial security for nearly 160 years. The company offers a comprehensive approach to financial planning, offering risk management solutions and investment services. As a mutual company with over $1.5 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders and focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value over time. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (life insurance, disability insurance, annuities) and its subsidiaries (Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC).

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Leading The Way To Serve And Recruit Diverse Communities In Financial Services

Andrea Williams began her college career on a full academic scholarship to study medicine. But along the way, a class in economics led her in an exciting new direction. “I fell in love with the subject matter and knew then that I wanted to help people with their financial health as opposed to their physical health.”

Today, as a successful Northwestern Mutual financial representative in Chicago, Williams has the best of both worlds. A number of her clients are African-American dentists and physicians who trust her to help them achieve financial security.

Williams began her business by developing relationships and educating African-American and female clients. She notes that financial professionals historically have underserved these members of her community.

Even though her clients are physicians, dentists and business owners, “Many of them haven’t had exposure to the principles of financial planning, and most don’t have a plan in place to achieve their goals,” she says. “So, I’ve largely become a teacher: I take the time to educate my clients on personal finance and investing so they feel empowered to make the very best decisions for themselves and their futures.”

Williams is also passionate about attracting multicultural candidates to work in the financial services field. She mentors new financial representatives and teaches them nuances she has learned about helping diverse communities achieve financial security.

“There are so many people we can reach. I tell my interns, ‘If not you, then who? Someone has to trail blaze.’”

This BrandVoice story also appears in the June 30, 2014 issue of Forbes.

The Northwestern MutualVoice Team is a group of professionals who share insights and opinions from experts and industry leaders across the enterprise. Our vision is to inspire others to take action and plan for their financial future through topics ranging from financial planning, retirement planning and distribution strategies, wealth accumulation and preservation, to leadership, philanthropy and innovation.